Match book



June 12, 1951 J, H, S N 2,556,561

MATCH BOOK Filed June 21, 1946 Patented June 12, 1951 OFFICE MATCH BOOK John H. Sutton, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 21, 1946, Serial No. 678,244

1 Claim.

when a match is lighted.

A still further objection is present in the fact N that when the matches are completely housed in the book, the heads thereof have no protection other than that afforded by the cover.

An object of the present invention is to provide a match book with a protecting shield into which h the heads of the matches will extend when the book is folded, the construction being such that by swinging the matches into position where they can be removed, their heads will be withdrawn from the shield.

A 'still further object is to provide a match book having a split cover only one section of which need be opened for the purpose of removing a match, thereby keeping a group of matches under cover while one match is being withdrawn.

A still further object is to provide a match book the structure of which is such that during the withdrawal of a match, the book can be grasped tightly between the fingers so that it will not become displaced during the operation of removing a match and striking it.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the match book, the same being shown open and all of the match heads withdrawn from their shield.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the match book showing one of the cover sections closed and the other cover section open, a part of the shield being broken away.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of match book, the same being shown fully closed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference l designates the back or body portion of the match book. This can be formed of moderately still paper or any other suitable material, the bottom edge of the body portion being folded upwardly as at 2 to provide a channel 3 in which is secured the base portions of the series of matches 4. A striking surface 5 is provided along the lip formed by the fold 2. The opposite end of the back or body I merges into a cover which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, can be made of separate sections 6 arranged side by side and so proportioned that, when the matches are seated against the back l,the free ends of these cover sections can be tucked between the base portions of the matches 4 and the lip 2. These cover sections can each be formed with one or more notches on the inner side thereof as shown at l and corresponding ears 8 can be extended from the inner sides of the sections so that when the cover sections are in closed position, the ears 8' will fit within the notches l, as will be apparent.

A channeled strip 9, formed preferably of fibre or other material which will not burn readily, is

secured to the back I or to any other suitable part of the book and is so located that under normal conditions the heads of the matches 4 will be extended into the channeled strip which thus constitutes a shield or guard. That portion of the cover nearest the top of the back or body i can be shaped, as at I 0, so as to fold about the guard or shield 9. This has been indicated at I0.

Normally the sections of the cover are tucked into place behind the lip 2 as before explained and the heads of the matches are seated in the channeled guard or shield 9. When it is desired to move a match one of the sections of the cover is gripped by the hand of the user while a finger of the other hand is inserted under the ear 8 of the other cover section. said section can then be flipped upwardly, thereby exposing the matches thereunder as shown in Figure 2. One of these matches can then be removed by breaking it ofi at the base and pulling it laterally from the channel 3. The match can then be lighted by drawing it over the striking surface and during this operation the heads of all the remaining matches will be protected from sparks. After all of the matches have been withdrawn from one of the cover sections, the book can be grasped at the opposite side between the adjacent cover section and the back of the book while the cover section located over the unused matches can then be opened and those matches removed as needed.

Instead of completely separating the sections of the cover at the time of manufacture, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cover can be provided with a line of perforations or a weakened line, as shown at I I in Figure 3. Thus when the book is first used, the sections can be partly torn apart along this weakened line after which the match book can be used as already explained.

While the guard or shield formed by the channeled portion 9 has been shown attached along the top of the body portion I, it is to be understood that it could be of any other shape and size and attached at any suitable point within the book. It is merely essential that the channeled portion of the guard be located where the heads of the matches can normally be seated therein.

While the ears 8 can be used for the purpose stated, an important purpose is to employ them for closing-the notches I which, in turn, serve to expose some of thematches so that they can be easily gripped and removed from beneath the cover sections 6.

Asmay be noted from the drawings, the chan nel member is formed separately from the back portion l and the cover sections and by being extended fully across the upper end of the match book from one side to the other, defines a spacer between the cover sections and the series of matches at the upper ends of the matches. This may be noted .by reference to Fig. 2, wherein it is seen that one wall, namely, the front wall, is interposed between the cover sections and the match heads and therefore constitutes a spacer therebetween.

By reason of the provision of this spacer, there will be defined, below the notches I and ears 8, a space between the cover sections and the matches into which one cover section can be depressed relative to the other when downward pressure is exerted thereupon, thus to facilitate elevation of one of the ears 8 and insertion of the tip of the users thumb under said ear to flip one of the cover sections upwardly.

What is claimed is:

A match book formed from a single piece of material and including a back portion having a folded lower end providing a lip, a series of matches secured tothe lipand substantially covering'theentire'inner surface area of the back portion, a channel member formed separately from the back portion andsecured to the inner surface thereof, said channel member extending transversely across the upper end of the back portion fully from side to side thereof and covering the heads of the matches, and a cover for the matches separate from the channel member and having a slit at its center extending fully from top to bottom thereof to provide side by side independently movable cover sections each half the width of the back portion and integrally joined at its upper end to the upper end of the back portion and each proportioned to cover some of the matches, the lower ends of said cover sections being insertable between the lip and matches, said sections cooperating with the back portion to provide an undivided interior match receiving area filled fully from side to side thereof with said matches, one of the sections having an earnear its upper end extending towards the second section and constituting a finger piece, said'section having a notch near its lower end, the second section having an ear near its lower end receivable in the notch of the first section, said second section having a notch near its upper end receiving the ear of the first section, said sections being wholly separated from each other whereby downward pressure exerted uponone section adjacent the ear of the other section will cause said ear to be elevated to expose aspace under said ear under which the finger of a user can move for flipping of one section upwardly from closed position while holding the other section closed, one wall of said channel member being interposed as a spacerbetween the cover sections and upper endsof the matches to define a space underlying the cover sections and facilitating depression of one cover section relative to the other for elevation of one of said ears.

JOHN H. SUTTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Arenson Dec. 21, 1943, 

